Amusement apparatus



J. I. HOLCOMB AND J. F. HOKE, In. AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB 25, 1919.

1,352,666, Patented Sept. 14,1920.

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AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

APPLICATION mzu FEB. 25, I919.

1,352,666, PatntedSept. 14,1920.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3- WITNESS: IN VEN TOR.

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A TTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES I. HOLCOMB AND JACOB F. HOKE, JR., INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNQRS T0 HOLCOMB AND HOKE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF INDIANAPQLIS, INDIANA, A CORPORATION.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 14, 1920.

"Application filed February 25, 1919. Serial No. 279,146.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JAMES I. I-IoLooMn and Jason F. Hone. Jr. citizens of the United States and residents of Indianapolis, county of Marion and State of Indiana have invented a certain new and useful Amusement Apparatus: and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals refer to like parts.

This invention relates to an improved amusement apparatus and is in the nature of a bowling alley of the type generally known as box ball alleys.

The prime feature of the invention is in the provision of movable parts carrying designating numerals for indicating the values of the various alley pins with which they register.

,A further feature of the invention is the provision of a back board which normally excludes the numerals and movable parts from View. but which has plurality of openings therethrough through which the numerals are exposed when elevated.

A further feature of the invention is in pivotally mounting a plurality of alley pins in such manner that when a ball is thrown with force a ainst the lower ends of said pins, they will swing from a vertical to a horizontal position, the lower ends of the pins swinging upwardly, said upwardly moving ends engaging the numeral carrying means and elevating the same so as to expose the numeral thereon through the openings in the backboard.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of anti-friction rollers for cooperating withthe numeral carrying means to properly guide the same as they ascend or descend. i

A further feature of the invention is the provision of a light and a reflector for diffusing the rays of light directly on to the pins and the numerals when exposed through the openings in the backboard whereby they may be eadily read from the forward end of the alley,

In the drawings. which are made a part of this application, Figure 1 is a perspective viewof a portion of a box ball alley showing the pins and backboard in position thereon. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view through the alley showing the backboard and pins in front elevation, one of the pins being in lowered or knocked down position. Fig. 3 is similar view of the reverse side of the backboard. Fig. 4 is a sectional view as seen on line l--4 Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail side elevation of the backboard and parts cooperating therewith. Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view as seen on line 66 of Fig. 4 and Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the numeral carrying members.

Referring to the drawings, in which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, 1 indicates a box hall alley which may be of the usual or any preferred construction. and 2 indicates a frame structure at the rear end of the alley. said frame carrying a back board 3 which extends a distance above the alley proper and the lower end thereof being spaced a sutlicient distance above the alley to permit balls 4 to easily pass thereunder.

Extending transverely across the alley. between the forward cndsof the frame 2 and forwardly of the backboard 3, is'a cross bar 5 from which extend a plurality of brackets 6, and pivotally mounted on said brackets are a plurality of alloy pins 7. the pivotal connection between said brackets and the pins being at a point below the longitudinal centers of the pins so that said pins will drop by gravity to a horizontal positionwhcn the ball 4 is thrown with force against the lower ends of the pins. The pins 7 are normally held in a vertical position by spring latches 8 mounted upon the cross bar 5. the outer ends of the latches entering recesses 9 in the rear face of the pins and snapping over keepers 10 carried by the pins, the blow from the ball releasing the keepers from the latches and permitting the pins to swing on their pivots.

In playing a game, each pinis given a certain value or designating numeral. and in order to prevent confusion as to the value number of each pin that is knocked down. means is provided for exposing the value numeral of the pin when it is moved to a horizontal position and to exclude from view said numerals when the pins are in upright position. To this end a plurality of paddles 11 are placcd'in the rear of the backboard 3 and are supported by bars 12, said bars having channels 13 in which the paddles slide, and on one face of each paddle is provided a designating numeral 1% which, when the paddle is elevated, registers with and is exposed through an opening 15 in the backboard 3, one opening registering with each independent pin oi the alley.

The paddles are so constructed that when the pins are in vertical position, the paddles will descend in the channels a suilicient distance to move the numerals 11 thereon out of registration with the openings in the backboard so that said numerals will not be exposed except when pin is knocked down, and in order to employ the movement of the pins for elevating the paddles, each paddle is provided with a depending stem 16, which is so positioned that the lower end of the pin, as it is swinging upwardly, will on gage the lower flaring end of the stem 16 and move the paddle upwardly a suflicient distance to register the numeral l-l thereon with the opening 15 of the backboard, thereby exposing the numeral to the player and designating the value of the pin knocked down. The downward movement "of the paddles is limited. by placing a block 17 on the rear face of each paddle at the upper end thereof, which block engages a strip 18 attached to the rear face of the vertical bars 12, thus limiting the downward movement of the paddles.

In order to reduce friction, as the paddle is being raised or lowered, a friction roller 19 is attached to a beam 20 extending across the alley in the rear of the backboard 3, there being a friction roller for each paddle, and to limit the jar and noise incident to the swinging action of the pins, a buffer 21 is attached to the beam 20 so that the lower end of the pin, when swung to horizontal position, will strike said buffer, and as said bufler has more or less cushioning action, the noise and jar incident tothe pin striking the same will be limited. The backboard 3 is constructed in any preferred manner and is provided with braces 22 which serve to hold the backboard in upright position, and if desired a light 23 may be attached to the upper end of the backboard.

In order to cast a proper light upon the pins 7 and upon the openings 15 in the backboard so that the numerals exposed there through may be readily read from the forward end of the alley, a reflector 24 may be attached to the forward face of the back board and over the pins 7, and by placing a light 25 below said reflector, the rays of light will be reflected more directly on to the pins and the openings.

In playing the game, the pins are all thrown to an upright or vertical position and engage with the latches 8 so as to maintain the pins in an upright position. The player then rolls the ball down the alley in the usual manner, in an endeavor to cause the ball to strike one or more of the pins so as to cause said pin or pins to tilt. As soon as the pin is released from thelatch 8, the heavier end of the pin being above its pivotal point, said pin will swing by gravity to a horizontal position, or until the lower end of the pin strikes the buffer in the rear of the backboard, and as the lower end of the pin moves upwardly it engages the stem portion of the paddle 11 and moves the paddle upwardly, therebv exposing the numeral on the paddle through the opening 15 in the backboard, said numeral designating the value of the pin knocked down. As soon as the prescribed number of balls have been thrown by the playeig such pins as are knocked down are again thrown to a vertical position and reengaged with the respective latches therefor, when the next player may throw the prescribed number of balls in an endeavor to knock down the pins.

As the pins are returned to their vertical position, the paddles released by such pins, will again descend by gravity and remove the numerals thereon from observation. By thus removing the value designating numerals from view and maintaining them in such a position until such time as a pin is thrown to a horizontal position, it will be impossible to confuse or claim the value for one pin as representing the value of another pin. Furthermore this manner of operating the value indicating numerals lends zest to the game and renders the same more attractive.

The invention claimed is:

1. In an amusement apparatus the combination with a plurality of vertically disposed pins pivoted adjacent their longitudinal center so that their lower ends when struck by a pin ball will move upwardly when pivoting, and a back board having openings thercthrough, of numeral carrying means operable by the lower portion of said pin when pivoted for bringing the numerals into registration with said openings in the back board.

2. In anamusement apparatus the combination with a pivot pin normally vertical, the lower end of which when struckby a pin ball moves upwardly when pivoting, and a back board for supporting said pin and having an opening therethrough, of means having ,a designating numeral thereon, said means being operable by the lower-end of said pin to position the numeral in registration with said opening when the pin is struck.

3. In an amusement apparatus the combination with an alley, a pin ball rollable thereon, a pivotally mounted pin a back board. spaced above said alley to permit the pin ball to pass thereunder and having an opening therethrough, of a paddle slidably mounted upon said back board and having designating means thereon, the lower end of said paddle being removable from the path. of said ball when engaged by the lower and ascending end of said pin when the latter is moved to a horizontal position by the ball, said paddle being movable to register the designating means with the opening in said back board.

4-. In an amusement apparatus the combination with a back board having an opening therethrough, a paddle having designating means thereon and a pivotally mounted normally vertical pin, said pin having its lower end adapted to be struck by a pin ball and swing rearwardly and upwardly for engaging and elevating the paddle to register the designating means thereon with the opening in the back board to expose the same when the pin is caused to pivot by the lower end thereof being struck by a pin ball.

5. In an amusement apparatus the combination with an alley and a back board spaced above said alley to permit pin balls to pass thereunder, a paddle vertically slidable upon said board and having designating means thereon adapted to be moved into an exposed position, a pin pivoted adjacent the paddle, the lower portion of the pin when struck by a pin ball being adapted toi swing to a substantially horizontal position and lift said paddle to expose said designating means, and means for limiting the downward movement of said paddle.

6. An amusement apparatus including in combination a framework, indicating means slidably mounted in said framework, a pin pivotally mounted on said framework, said pivotal mounting being below the center of gravity of said pin, latching means for normally holding said pin in vertical position and adapted to release said pin when the same is struck below said mountin the lower and struck end of said pin eing movable to a horizontal position to engage the lower end of said slidable means and raise the same, means for limiting the downward movement of said slidable means, and means for cushioning the rearward and upward movement of said pin.

7. In an amusement apparatus the combination with a pivot pin normally vertical, the lower end of which when struck by a pin ball moves upwardly when pivoting, and a back board for supporting said pin, of slidable means having designating means thereon, said slidable means being engagable by the lower end of said pin and movable by said pin to an exposed position for exposing the designating means when the pin is struck by a in ball.

In witness w ereof, we have hereunto aflixed our signatures.

JAMES I. HOLCOMB. JACOB F. HOKE, JR. 

